A turkey vulture glides over upper Bidwell Park on Dec. 22, 2013. A recent incident in which a mountain lion killed a park user's dog prompted the city to issue an alert for people to be extra vigilant when they're in the park. (Bill Husa/Staff Photo)

CHICO -- An incident last weekend in which a mountain lion killed a park user's dog prompted the city to issue an alert on Thursday.

"We're asking people to be extra vigilant when they're in the park, and to avoid it at night," Park and Natural Resources Manager Dan Efseaff said Thursday.

Efseaff said he got a report that two hikers and a dog encountered a mountain lion Saturday near Brown's Hole, deep into upper Bidwell Park and in a brushy area.

On the Yahi Trail, the hikers ran away when they saw the mountain lion, but said the dog, a lab-pit bull mix, got between them and the mountain lion.

"It was a mid-afternoon attack. That raises our concern," Efseaff said, adding that the mountain lion could have been stalking the hikers.

Efseaff said the city immediately contacted Fish and Wildlife, and wildlife trackers were called in. They found the dog's remains a couple of days later, Efseaff said.

"We get dozens of mountain lion sightings a year. Some are valid. Some are someone's golden retriever. We coexist with mountain lions. They're in our park, and sightings are not unusual."

Efseaff said the city stays in close contact with Fish and Wildlife about activity in the park, but he notes the mountain lion could be out of the area by now because of the range of its territory.

If it has decided to stay in the park because of food, the city is concerned, he said.

"Mountain lions are usually scared of people and avoid contact. If the behavior has changed, we want to know," Efseaff said.

Anyone seeing a mountain lion in the area should contact the Park Division at 896-7800 or emergency dispatch at 9-1-1.

Efseaff said the city is keeping track of sightings, asking the public for information on time of day, location, behavior, weather conditions, etc.

Mountain lions are not unusual in upper Bidwell Park, but sightings are generally infrequent. People who see them should not run, but should raise their arms to be larger and shout at the animal to scare it away. Keep children in sight and pets on a leash.

Running sometimes triggers an attack response in cats, Efseaff said, adding that park users should not be wearing earphones that could prevent them from hearing.